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SANTA FE, N.M. — In a highly unusual outcome to a complex and emotionally charged criminal case, defense attorney Dan Cron secured a plea deal Wednesday that spared his 78-year-old client from serving additional prison time for the 2021 shooting death of her husband.
She pleaded no contest to charges of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in the shooting that killed her husband and wounded another woman. State District Judge sentenced her to 15 years in prison but suspended all but 40 months — a term she has already served through jail and house arrest. As a result, she will not serve further incarceration.
Cron, a veteran criminal defense attorney based in Santa Fe, had argued that his client — who has no prior criminal history — had no memory of the night in question and had maintained strict compliance with house arrest during the nearly three years the case awaited trial. Through careful negotiation and a strategic legal approach, Cron persuaded prosecutors and the court to accept a resolution that emphasized rehabilitation and compassion over additional punishment.
“This was a tragic, deeply personal situation for all involved,” Cron said outside the courtroom. “But it was never a case of malice or criminal intent. She has lived every day since in sorrow and reflection.”
Prosecutors acknowledged several factors weighed against pursuing a trial, including the defendant’s advanced age, lack of criminal history, and the volatile circumstances of the night — described in court as involving extreme intoxication and sexual tension. The shooting took place during a late-night gathering at the defendant’s home, where guests, including the couple and a younger woman friend, had been heavily drinking. The friend was wounded in the incident and later told police she didn’t recall seeing who fired the weapon.
Despite the challenges of defending a case involving a fatal shooting, conflicting witness recollections, and high emotional stakes, Cron successfully navigated the discovery process, leveraged weaknesses in the prosecution’s case, and secured a resolution his client could live with.
The judge, in accepting the plea deal, recognized both the unique nature of the case and the skillful work that led to its resolution. “I can’t imagine having to live with the fact of taking someone else’s life that you care so much about,” the judge told the defendant. “You will have to live with that for the rest of your life, but I wish you the best of luck.”
The defendant addressed the court, expressing remorse and sorrow. “I loved my husband more than you could know,” she said, tearfully. “I would never intentionally hurt anyone, especially not the love of my life.”
The case drew attention not only for its tragic circumstances but also for its legal complexity. The negotiated outcome, guided by Cron’s experienced hand, avoided the uncertainty and trauma of trial for all parties involved — including the surviving victim and the family of the deceased, who expressed frustration with the investigative process and grief over their brother’s death.
The plea agreement also includes conditions requested by the victim’s family, including that the shooter not visit her late husband’s resting place at the Santa Fe National Cemetery.
As one of New Mexico’s most respected criminal defense attorneys, Cron’s work in this case adds to a long record of high-profile, nuanced legal advocacy that emphasizes not only courtroom strategy but also humane resolution.
The defendant will remain on supervised probation for five years.